Whitbread-owned hotel operator adds 637 rooms to pipeline

Whitbread has exchanged on five sites for its budget hotel brand Premier Inn and gained planning permission at a further three, cumulatively adding 637 rooms added to its secured pipeline.

The company revealed the latest agreements today as it updated on trading for the 39 weeks to 2 December.

Premier Inn’s new deals are in Cambridge, Farnborough, Widnes, Dartford and Paignton, while planning consents have been gained in High Wycombe, Newton Abbot and Dorchester.

The hotels will contribute to the company’s stated target to increase its UK portfolio to 55,000 rooms.

Mark Anderson, commercial and property director at Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants, said: “This brings to more than 2,000 the total number of new rooms that we have secured for our expansion pipeline since the start of the year.  It means doing a deal a fortnight on a new hotel. 

“We continue to focus on securing opportunities in our 300-plus target towns as we drive our acquisitions programme even more aggressively.  Premier Inn is in growth mode and we have an excellent proposition for the market.”